Wire-connector.



ma". V

L. o. GALLAHAN & P. W. ESKRIDGE.

WIRE GONNEGTOR. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1908.

Patented June 8, 1909.

nuantow l Lanny CTUaZa/.Lna/nd "www v P06 l/.sirlldye JH @mfg/nw@ "UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUNY C. GALLAHAN AND POE W. ESKEIDGE, OFRUTHERFORDTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

WIRE-CONNECTOR.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jane s, 1909.

Y j Application 1ed November 28, 1908.' Serial No. 464,943.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known thatwe, LOUNY C. CALLAHAN and POE W. ESKRIDGE, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Rutherfordton, in the county of Rutherford and State Vof North Carolina, have invented new .-nd useful Improvements in VVire-Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire connectors, and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide simple and\e'flcient means for connectingrthe terminal ends of wires and holding them in place temporarily by means of a tool which cantbe readily disconnected from the terminals by Vpressing the handles together.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a convenient tool for holding the ends of'wires, said tool having a ratchet device connected to the handles which will hold the jaws closed upon the ends of the wires, means being provided whereby the jaws may be released by pressing the handles together.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated jn the accompanying drawing, 1nwh1cl' 1,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation .of a w1r e connector made in accordance wlth our invention. Fig. 2'is `a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 isa sinular View, showing the positions assumed by the ratchet device in releasing the jaws of the connector. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the connector when the jaws are open before the wires are clamped.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates one of the jaws of the connector,

and 2 is the other jaw thereof. These jaws are provided with semi-circular recesses 3 of different sizes, each pair of a given size being disposed in alinement, in order that wires of different sizes may be readily connected. Formed on the jaw 1 is a handle member 4, and formed upon the jaw member 2 is a handle member 5, these two members being provided with flattened portions 6, 7 connected together by a pivot pin 8. Secured to one of the handle members is a spring 9 which bears -against the opposite handle member and vexerts its infiuence to hold the jaws open. y

Formed upon the ends ofthe handle members 4 and 5 are the inwardly bent ratchet members 10, 11. The member 10 at its outer briefl end is curved, as at 12 and upon one edge a series of ratchet teeth 13 is provided. The last tooth 14 in the series is provided with a curved wall 15, and adjacent to the curved wall is a curved groove 16. j

The member 1l is provided at its end with an outwardly-projecting nose 17, and underneath the nose is a downwardly projecting finger ldesigned to engage the teeth 13 of the member 10. The' end of the member 11 is curved, as at 19, oppositely to lthe curvature 12 of the member 10, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4.

The operation of our invention may be described as follows:-When the mem ers 10 and. 11 are in the position shown in Fig. 4 and they are brought together by pressing the members 4 and 5 one toward the other in the hand, the finger 18 will ride"ove/r the teeth 13 and engage the same, holding the jaws closed upon the ends of the wires. Whenever it is desired to release the con- .nector from the wires, by pressing the members 4 and 5 together, the finger 1.8 will ride past the final ratchet tooth 1 4, and by the inherent spring action of the members 10 and 711 the finger 18 will ride over the curved portion 15 in the groove 16 back to the position shown in Fig. 4, and the tool will then be in condition to be connected to other wire terminals.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that our invention, whilesimple in construction, provides novel and readily operable means for disconnecting the jaws by pressing the handle members together, and that this action is very desirable, for the'reason that only one hand is required for releasing the tool from the ends of the wires and foi1 the further reason that the action is entirely automatic. l

We claim 1. A wire connector comprising handles pivotally connected together, jaws on said handles, and a ratchet device formed on the ends of the handles, said ratchet device comprising a series of teeth on one of the members, the terminal tooth havingva curved wall, and the other member having a projecting finger for engaging the ratchet teeth, said members being adapted to be released by pressing the handles inwardly until the finger rides past the final ratchet tooth and follows the curved wall to release said finger from the ratchet teeth.

l 2. In a device of the character described, together, the ends of said ratchet members handles pivotally connected together, jaws being oppositely curve n on said handles, a ratchet device formed on In testimony whereof We afx our signathe handfies, slaid ratchet dvice comfprilslnlgl tures in presence of two Witnesses. 5 aserieso teet on one mem er, oneo w 'c .v

teeth is provided with a curved rear portion, (SXIALIIEAN' the other member being provided with a finger to engage the ratchet teeth and adapt- Witnesses:

ed to pass around the curved wall for releas- E. B. QUINN, 1o ing the same when the handles are pressed A. F. MILLER. 

